By: Jill Wunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Reigning Horizon League Player of the Week Julie Wojta (Francis Creek, Wis.) lived up to her recent honor as the senior poured in a career-high 26 points in No. 23/17 Green Bay's (7-0) 75-67 win over Northern Iowa (5-2) Sunday at the Kress Events Center. Wojta also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, posting her second consecutive double double performance and fourth of the season.

"When we started the game I thought she (Wojta) was really flat and not ready to play after her performance in the first four minutes," said head coach Matt Bollant. "If you would have told me at halftime she would have 16 points and nine rebounds I would have bet the world against it. It's amazing how she can turn it on and make plays."

Green Bay found itself in unfamiliar territory as UNI opened the game with a 13-0 run that included three three-pointers from the Panthers' Katelin Oney. At the same time, the Phoenix turned the ball over five times before scoring its first basket at the 15:05 mark thanks to a three-pointer from Sarah Eichler (Grafton, Wis.) on the left wing.

"We obviously didn't start the game the way we wanted to," said Wojta. "A big thing for us is just making sure we have our enthusiasm. When we do the little things and play the way we know we can, we are a really good team and we just didn't do a lot of the little things right away."

Eichler's three started an 18-3 run by the Phoenix, forcing the Panthers to turn the ball over eight times while being held scoreless for five-and-a-half minutes of play. Sension tied the game with a jumper from the left elbow and Green Bay took the 18-16 lead off a bucket from Hannah Quilling (Eau Claire, Wis.).

Following a pair of free throws by UNI to knot it 18-18, freshman Megan Lukan (Barrie, Ontario) sparked a 14-2 run, scoring five consecutive points. The three minute scoring run included four Green Bay three pointers with Lukan and Wojta scoring one each and Lydia Bauer (Lake Zurich, Ill.) sinking two.

Green Bay led 42-28 at the break with Lukan scoring nine points in the opening half, going 4-for-5 from the field while grabbing three rebounds.

"I thought Megan gave us a huge boost again," Bollant said. "She did a great job getting to the rim, playing really good defense and I'm really proud of the way she played."

Wojta finished the half with 16 points and nine rebounds while Bauer had eight points and Quilling dished out five assists. As a team, the Phoenix finished the half shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc and 53 percent from the field, scoring 23 points off 16 UNI turnovers.

UNI outscored Green Bay 39-33 in the second half after opening with a 12-6 run, including a pair of three pointers. The Panthers cut the Phoenix lead to eight three times in the first 12 minutes before cutting it to seven with 8:22 to play and then again with 7:16 to play before Bauer responded with a baseline jumper.

With 5:51 to play, Sension banked in a shot off the glass to boost Green Bay's lead back up to 10 (62-52). UNI answered with a layup from K.K. Armstrong and a three from Rachel Madrigal, outscoring the Phoenix 7-2 to cut the lead to five (64-59) with 3:56 to play thanks to a layup by Oney.

Following a time out, Adrian Ritchie (De Pere, Wis.) found Wojta for a layup to make it a seven point game and then found Bauer for another three to boost the lead 69-59 with 2:50 remaining. Lukan added four points in the final minutes as the Phoenix improved to 7-0 with the win.

"I'm happy our players found a way to respond after a bit of an ugly start," Bollant said of his team's performance. "I thought Lydia stepping up and making that three when they cut our lead to five late and Julie's play down the stretch was big for us."

Green Bay shot 44 percent in the second half, going 12-for-27 from the field while shooting 72 percent from the charity stripe. Wojta led all players with 26 while Oney led the Panthers with 25 points, including six three pointers. Bauer finished with 19 for the Phoenix, going 8-for-12 from the field while Lukan scored a career-high 13 in the win.

ON DECK... Green Bay will travel to Toledo Thursday, Dec. 8 for a battle against the Rockets for the second time this season. The Phoenix won the first meeting Nov. 16, 84-68.

ON THE INJURY FRONT... Junior Jenny Gilbertson (Wabasha, Minn.) will miss at least two weeks of action due to a bone bruise.

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